Through
the years I have learned to examine, CLA (clean, lube, adjust)
and repair Stereo Realist cameras... It takes me a total of 3-4
hours to go through a Stereo Realist. I make sure that I check
all basic functions andreport on the work done.
The report includes a calibration table of the shutter speeds. I
do everything except for shooting a roll of film through the
camera. I recommend that you shoot a test roll of film before
using the camera for an important assignment.

Note: I only repair the "David
White" Stereo realist, not the Realist 45, which is similar to the Iloca
stereo camera and was made in Germany. Also, I do not widen the apertures
of the Stereo Realist. See www.3drealist.com
for more details regarding this.

Unsolicited
Testimony:

"As
the recent recipient of some cameras which have gotten Dr. T's
tender ministrations, I want to give his service an unqualified
highest recommendation! The service itself is excellent, and it
is very reasonably priced. In addition, Dr. T has been very
helpful in communicating via e-mail about the state of the
cameras, and other related topics. Thanks, George!" - Peter
Davis

"I
was very impressed by the condition of the camera I received, how
well it worked, and the usefulness of your book. Even though I
paid about $50 more than I may have found one on eBay, I still
feel like I got a bargain." Robert Swirsky

"I'd
just like to add my recommendation as well. I've had a Realist
camera and a viewer reconditioned by Dr. T, and in both cases the
work was stellar and well worth the money. It was like getting
back brand-new goods." - Don Munsil

"Instead of fixing my old Realist 3.5, you have
apparently given me a new camera and have kept the old one!"
- Chris Helms

I
back my work with a six (6) month warranty, during which time
I will repair anything that might go wrong with the camera.
Because of my very reasonable rates, I am only asking that you
pay for shipping if you are sending the camera back.

My fee for a reconditioning/repair work is
$125 plus return
shipping ($10 in the USA for priority mail with delivery confirmation -
insurance, if desired, is extra). My turn-around time varies from 2 to 4 weeks. Contact me
via email if you have any questions or need the camera sooner.

HERE ARE TWO USEFUL ACCESSORIES THAT I
RECOMMEND THAT YOU HAVE ME INSTALL AS PART OF THE CAMERA REPAIR:

- Depth
of Field scale (if your camera does not have one), for $12 extra

- Aperture
Handles, for $25 extra (only available for later Stereo Realists, contact
me for detail)

- If you camera needs a lens
cover (recommended because it keeps the lenses free of dust) then I charge
$20 extra for the part.

If
you are mailing a Stereo Realist to me, please pack well and
include a note with any known problems. If you have email, please email me
at drt-3d@live.com to let me know that the
camera is coming. I will save your email and keep you informed of my
progress. I will also email you the report and shutter speed calibration.

You can also pay with paypal if you prefer. In
this case, I will email you when I am done, and give you the total amount.

Here
is an outline of my work with the Stereo Realist:

Lens Board & Lenses

Remove the lens board. Clean/lubricate
the aperture rings (many times these are stiff). Clean
the lens board. Clean the lenses front and back.

Clean Camera Body Outside and Inside

With the lens board removed, I do the
following: Check the shutter for smooth operation. Blow
off any dust or loose particles from the shutter area.
Remove the viewfinder lens and clean it front and back.
Remove and clean the two glass rangefinder windows.
Remove and clean the viewfinder and rangefinder lenses in
the back of the camera. Dust off and clean camera
interior and exterior.

Check shutter

I check the shutter with the lens
board off. Occasionally, the shutter hangs open at the
slow shutter speeds. If this is the case, I first
flush-clean the timing mechanism. If this does not help,
I remove the timing mechanism, and clean it in an
ultrasonic cleaner. If this does not solve the problem,
then I replace the timing mechanism. Occasionally, the
shutter blades are worn/broken and need to be replaced. I
also make sure that both R and L shutters are matched
(open and close at the same time).

Flash Check & Synchronization

With the lens board removed, I check
for proper flash operation and synchronization. In almost
all Realists when the electronic flash fires, the shutter
is not fully open. This can cause unnecessarily dark
flash pictures. I clean and adjust the flash contact for
proper flash synchronization.

I check the camera focus using a
ground glass and a special 30X focusing achromatic
magnifier, made in Japan, for checking camera focus.
(Note: The magnification of a typical stereo slide viewer
is about 5x, so with this magnifier I see an image 6
times as large as the one seen in the viewer!) I check
focus at 10 feet. If the focus
is off, I adjust it. This is a rather complicated
procedure.

Check/Adjust Rangefinder

After the focus is adjusted, I check
and adjust (if needed) the rangefinder. Note that the
purpose of the rangefinder is to aid in focusing. It is
there only for information purposes. It does nothing to
the picture-taking process. If the rangefinder does not
agree with the focusing dial, trust the focusing dial,
not the rangefinder!

Measure shutter speeds

I measure the shutter speeds at all
settings and report their values. The low speeds (1 to
1/10 sec) are usually OK. For some unknown to me reason, the 25
speed is usually right on. The top speeds (1/50 to
1/150 or 1/200) are usually a bit slow. I try to correct
by tightening the shutter spring. The 100 speed is the most
difficult to adjust and it is usually slow. It is also the most
frequently used speed of this camera. I usually just report this
speed so you know what it is. It is a good idea to use the top
speed, instead of the 100, because it is more reliable.

Film advance

I lubricate the film advance gears and
check that the film advances properly, the film counter
works well, the red flag comes on after each exposure and
the double-exposure-prevention (if available) works well.
Note: A small amount of film frame overlap is rather
common and due to the slack in the various components.
There is nothing I can do about this. Occasionally, the
film advance springs are broken and need to be replaced.
I charge extra for this.

Light Leak Patch

Due to a design flaw, Stereo Realists
are prone to light leaks. This is usually solved by
tightening the camera back and installing a strip of tape
at the edge where the back meets the body in the back
right side (by focusing wheel). I install this patch by
default in all cameras.

Usually
there is nothing required other than my standard labor charge.
But if there are parts missing or need to be replaced, I have to
charge extra to cover my cost of buying these or removing them
from other cameras.